[longboat]

If you carry a lot of gear and/or a lot of people, you want the bigger boat. It will run just as shallow as the little boats (all else being equal) when empty, and will run much shallower than the little boats when both are filled with gear. On the flip side, a smaller boat will be easier to push off if you ever run aground, and will get better MPG.

I'm a big believer in elevated helm - let's you see much better what is going on in the shallows, helps you navigate around shallows, etc.